Barnet 1 - Leyton Orient 2.

(Nationwide League Div Three).

By Toby Forage.

ORIENT had an uphill struggle to beat Barnet on Saturday but they came through with flying colours.

Playing against a strong wind and the notorious Underhill pitch in the second half they delighted their 1,600 travelling fans with two goals in the last seven minutes from Joe Baker and Carl Griffiths to snatch victory.

Os boss Tommy Taylor was delighted with the three points. If you had offered me a point and not play the game I would have taken it, he said.

But he was surely expecting the same against Shrewsbury on Monday at home. Instead he got nothing and Orients play-off bandwagon is now showing too many dents to pass its MOT.

But at Barnet it was a gleaming machine, battering Barnet for the first 45 minutes, although without the reward of a goal.

Bees keeper Lee Harrison was on top form, parrying shots from Griffiths and Dominic Naylor.

But for all their attacking flair, Orient could not convert a single chance and Taylor admitted that he thought they were dead and buried having failed to take advantage of the slope and breeze.

And when Barnet got their goal ten minutes after the break, it seemed his assessment was right.

Orients defence failed to clear the ball from their box and Warren Goodhind took full advantage when it broke to him outside the box, smashing in a right-foot shot, his first goal for Barnet.

The home side had chances to increase their lead through former Orient favourite Scott McGleish and Phil Simpson.

Sean Devine was also looking bright, fresh from a hat-trick at Darlington the previous Saturday.

But it was Orient who were to have the final word. Super-sub Baker, who replaced Craig Maskell on the hour, scored in similar fashion to Goodhind from the right side of the box.

Two minutes later Scott McGleish looked certain to win it for Barnet when he raced towards goal but Turley managed to raise his hands and parry the ball away.

McGleish was substituted immediately by Bees boss John Still who then watched his other striker Devine squander an opportunity to win.

Both misses proved to be crucial as Griffiths, from nowhere, glanced home an Alex Inglethorpe cross with the seconds ticking away.

In an explosive ending Barnets Paul Wilson was sent off for elbowing Paul Raynor in the face and Jason Harris spoilt a good performance with a yellow card for brawling with Phil Simpson in retaliation.

But nothing could dampen the joy of the Os when the final whistle went. That was a massive result, beamed Taylor, but by Monday evening it had shrunk into insignificance.

q Orient ratings: Turley 7, CHANNING 9, Naylor 6, Smith 6, Hicks 7 (Raynor 6), Clark 8, Ling 8, Harris 7, Griffiths 7, Maskell 7 (Baker 7), Inglethorpe 7.

Att: 3437.

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